Honda Civic Type R Brings 305-HP Turbo VTEC Engine to Geneva

We've waited a long time, but the Honda Civic Type R finally makes its official public debut at this year's Geneva auto show. That's a year after the hot hatch was shown as a concept at Geneva in 2014.

Honda fans, hold on to your seat: the Civic Type R pumps out an astonishing 305 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque from its 2.0-liter turbocharged VTEC four-cylinder engine. This helps the hot Honda hatch hit 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and go on to a top speed of 167 mph. Power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission, with the four-cylinder redlining at 7,000 rpm.

To manage all of this speed, the 2015 Civic Type R features heavy use of aerodynamic improvements, with the addition of a large rear wing, underbody chassis airflow management, and a front splitter. The Type R rides on new 19 inch wheels, shod in bespoke 235/35R19 tires, which hide 13.7 inch, four-piston front brakes. The overall look is only slightly toned down from the original Honda Civic Type R concept shown at last year's Geneva auto show.

The Type R has a new active suspension system and a trick front differential, which Honda claims reduces torque steer by 50 percent. To optimize the hot hatch for more hardcore driving, the Type R comes equipped with an "R+" button, which fettles with the torque mapping, throttle response, suspension, and steering for an even more engaging drive experience on the track. We're still waiting to hear whether the Civic Type R will achieve Honda's goal of setting a new lap record for front-wheel-drive production cars on the legendary Nürburgring racetrack in Germany.

The Civic Type R, which is based on the European Honda Civic hatchback, has been confirmed for sale in Europe and Asian markets, with no word on U.S. availability. However, if history is anything to go by, we unfortunately won't see this hot hatch stateside.

The Honda Civic Type R makes its official debut at the 2015 Geneva auto show. In the meantime, take a look at the photos of Honda's newest hot hatch below.